Once More
by ColourfulF
Summary: An amnesic Touma just wants to live a peaceful life in Academy City, but his misfortune thinks otherwise. Once more, he ends up in the same path he went through before losing his memories.


You...

Pierced through the abdomen by a dark orange bident around two meters in length seemingly made from just two interweaving thick threads while floating in outer space surrounded by sparkling stars, a black, spiky haired boy sighed with a small smile on his face.

...are an idiot.

Slightly turning his head to the left, he could see his view of the Moon getting bigger and bigger. Was it the gravitational force of the Moon pulling him closer?

The person who he wanted to convey his words to had already disappeared. Even so, he continued.

But, it's not up to you to decide my fate. This is not over yet.

* * *

Touma opened his eyes to a familiar ceiling in a hospital ward.

"What a weird dream."

He sat up on his bed, thinking about his weird dream where he was floating in outer space with a bident pierced through his body.

"I suppose anyone who stabbed me with such a long spear must be someone who hates me. I wouldn't call that person idiotic."

Whatever remained of his memories were the days where people constantly wanted him dead because of the misfortune he had brought upon others. He could not remember anything else related to his life. His parents, friends, and relatives, all forgotten.

In other words, he was suffering from amnesia due to severe brain damage.

Why or how this happened was unknown.

A doctor in charge of his ward mentioned that an unnamed girl sent him to the hospital when she found him unconscious on the streets. She might know something, but searching for her without a name sounded like searching a needle lost in middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The doctor in charge of Touma's ward entered his ward. He was a balding old man with a face that strangely resembled a frog.

"How are you today?"

"Are you sure I'm fine enough to be discharged today? "

"Why not? Your condition is stable enough."

Touma sighed, "It's just that I don't know this place well enough and there's nobody around to guide me. Such misfortune."

The doctor took out a pen and paper from his pocket, "Well, all of us are quite busy so I'm sorry that you're going to have to figure things out on your own. I'm sure that the brochure and map I gave you should be enough to make your way back to your new dormitory."

"You do realize Academy City is a dangerous place, right?"

Touma turned to his left towards the window.

A vibrant sunny city filled with skyscrapers, shopping malls and schools, but beneath that light lies darkness which brings upon misery to those who carelessly treads into it.

"Especially from what you've told me about my past in Academy City."

"You're right. This city is a dangerous place, but that's all the more why you'd choose to stay." The doctor said. "If you're still the same Kamijou I know that is.

"I'm powerless. I don't even remember how to use my powers anymore. I can't be a hero and save everyone like before. Heck, I can't even fend for myself from all the dangerous espers in this city. If I could leave, I would."

However, there was nowhere Touma could go other than Academy City. From what he knew from his records in Academy City, he concluded that his parents were no longer alive, and his relatives outside of Academy City would rather want him dead instead.

The doctor scribbled a phone number and a name on the paper and handed it to Touma. "Anyway, if you need any help, you can contact her. If you're lucky, she might be free enough to guide you around later."

"Shokuhou Misaki...? Who is she? A friend I used to know?"

"A neurologist who saved you from being a vegetable. She works on a case-by-case basis so she isn't as busy as the doctors working in the hospital. She was concerned that you might have trouble adapting to life in Academy City so she told me to give you her contact once you're discharged."

"I see. Thanks."

"Then I shall be going."

Touma decided to grab a phone probably placed somewhere on his bedside table to call her.

Shokuhou must have been spelt with some crazy characters for the doctor to write it in hiragana... even Misaki was spelt in hiragana? Her parents must have a rather eccentric personality to spell her first name with kanji as crazy as her surname.

There was nothing placed on his bedside table except for a wallet found on him when he fell unconscious.

"Wait... I have no phone."

Touma got off his bed, grabbed his wallet and stuffed the piece of paper inside before leaving his ward.

As he walked down the hallway, he passed by a girl with auburn, twin pigtail hair wearing a brown vest with a symbol on the left side worn over a white blouse who had just purchased two juice can from a vending machine.

"Might as well."

There was enough coins to make a phone call at the first level, and to get a drink.

"I can't be that misfortunate enough to have the vending machine break down on me moments after it worked for the girl. That's impossible."

He slotted the coins into the vending machine, and pressed the button for a coke.

Nothing came out.

He pressed the button again.

Nothing came out.

He jabbed at the button.

There was no sign of the machine showing mercy on him.

"You must be kidding me!"

Touma shook the machine, hoping the error would magically resolve itself like refreshing the browser when a loading error occured. Still, nothing came out.

A faint honey scent filled his nose.

"Excuse me."

It came from a girl with long, flowing blonde hair. Her attire was the same as the girl with auburn, twin pigtail hair. Brown vest with a symbol on the left worn over a white blouse. The white stockings and gloves together with a golden starry handbag gave her a high class aura, and her doll-like features complimented it.

But, the most striking feature were the stars in her eyes. To be exact, her irises were stars. Considering it was Academy City, this must have been a result of an experiment went wrong.

Touma found himself fascinated at how odd her beauty was. Like a RPG character with an extremely weird yet satisfying play style. Especially her eyes. Her eyes seemed strangely familiar.

Now where have I seen this kind of eyes before?

"Is something wrong?"

Touma shook his head with his face slightly red. He might have stared at her forever if it wasn't for her voice breaking him out his thoughts. "Oh, umm, it's nothing! Anyway, I'd suggest you not buy anything from this machine. It's broken... despite it working fine just moments ago."

"I know that." The girl said. "But shaking the machine isn't going to work."

With her back facing the side of the vending machine, she made small, quick jumps...

"That's how you do it."

...before leaping up, and slammed her heel at the machine.

It was a special technique used by Tokiwaidai ladies like her who didn't want their panties exposed, but needed to kick the vending machine for free drinks.

The machine trembled at the might of that girl's reverse airborne heel slam technique before spitting out a stream of juice cans.

She hurled a juice can towards Touma, and struck a cutesy, horizontal v-shaped hand sign pose.

"My name is Shokuhou Misaki, nice to meet you~"

The can struck Touma on his forehead.

* * *

Academy City was the most advanced city with technology 30 years ahead of the world. Not only that, educational and research facilities made up most of the city who referred to itself as the city of science.

Developing psychic powers was the highlight of Academy City. Each year, many young people enter the city as students to develop any potential powers they may have, and study under rigorous curriculums set by schools.

There are currently 2.3 million people in the city with 80% of the population being students and 60% of the entire student population who went through the Power Development Curriculum by using drugs, hypnosis and many other methods that involved activating the potential of the brain to gain ESPer abilities.

There are 6 levels measuring the extent of the power of one's ESPer's ability, starting from the almost powerless Level 0 to the most powerful Level 5. The very definition of a Level 5 is to be able to face an entire army alone and win.

Only seven Level 5s existed in the city.

And one of the Level 5 was with Touma.

"If you aren't the athletic sort, don't force yourself to be one."

Touma groaned as he rubbed the bruise on his forehead while pushing a wheelchair with Misaki sitting on it, walking down the bustling street of District 7 in Academy City. She tore her thigh muscles when she jumped up and kicked the vending machine.

She insisted on a wheelchair because she didn't want to be caught limping by her schoolmates. Bad for her image, or so she says.

Even though the cars were as noisy as those outside of Academy City, but the air remained free of pollutants. As expected of having technology 30 years ahead of the rest.

"Sh-Shut up! I was merely careless. You should have seen how amazing my throwing ability were when I threw a paper ball into the bin from the back of my class just a few days before... a-and how I got 3rd place in a high jump competition recently as well."

The events were true, but the date was a lie to salvage her image.

Touma concluded that she could jump that high because she did receive training in high jumping, but years of neglect had made her muscles weaker, so she ended up tearing her thigh muscles when she tried. Her throwing ability must be pretty good because it was harder to aim a can right at his forehead which has a smaller surface area than the rest of his body... maybe he was just misfortunate.

"I see. You used to be the athletic sort, but you got lazy. It's amazing how you managed to maintain your figure."

Misaki folded her arms, pouting. "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

"You're just being too painfully self-conscious."

"La la la, I'm ignoring you. If you want me to talk to you again, buy me an ice cream over at that store to appease my anger."

Touma had expected Misaki to be a mature lady around her thirties. Yes, her body was very well-developed and looked every bit mature, but her mind was far from mature. To think that she was a 15 year old neurologist and a student in an elite school who saved him from being a vegetable seemed incredible, but she said that earning her degree in neurology was part of her development curriculum and it was really nothing much in Academy City.

"Alright princess, if you insist." Touma sighed as he left her under a tree.

A long time ago, Misaki might have been able to tell what that sigh implied about his feelings towards her. Now, she wasn't so sure anymore.

Memory loss can be so cruel.

"Here you go." Touma handed her a small ice cream box with a wooden spoon.

"Honey...?"

A glimmer of hope sparkled within Misaki.

Does he somehow remember me?

"What's wrong? You don't like it? I suppose that you should like honey if your perfume is honey scented."

Misaki smiled as she shook her head, "It's fine. Your observation ability is rather good."

That hope was crushed within seconds.

"But that's good. Having good observation ability could be the difference between life and death." Misaki said.

"I didn't exactly have an easy life before I entered Academy City. I only have vague recollections about being hated by everyone. Some even wanted me dead. If I wasn't observant enough to look out for anybody who had the intention to kill me, I would have been dead by now."

Misaki peeled open the cover and took a scoop. "I see."

Leaving the tree, they continued moving through the street. An increasing number of students appeared in groups, and many passed by them.

"By the way, do we happen to know each other?"

"I'm..." Misaki hesitated.

Should she take advantage of his memory loss by telling him half-truths? It was a good chance to rebuild their relationship in a direction that she wanted.

"... your friend of course. You just don't remember me."

Ironically, that was also a half-truth, but in her opinion a fairer half-truth.

A group of girls in the same attire as Misaki surrounded her and nudged Touma aside.

"Queen! Are you okay?"

"Why are you in a wheelchair?"

"Did someone attempt to hurt you?"

"We will hunt them down."

Oddly, all of them had a newspaper in hand.

Touma felt a strange correlation between the newspaper and Misaki and him, but he couldn't figure out exactly what.

"I'm fine." Misaki took out a remote from her starry designed handbag and pressed a button.

The group of girls nodded, and left.

Mental Out was a convenient ability that allowed her to filter unwanted attention by manipulating people's minds with a remote, and attract needed attention with the same remote. It was the dream ability of all popular people like her.

"Speaking of which, can you bring me to that automatic newspaper dispenser over there? I have do a silly newspaper article analysis due tomorrow." Misaki said.

"I'm surprised that you do your homework when you have such a convenient ability."

"Homework is not that hard. I don't have to use my ability for such a small thing."

"Now that you've mentioned that we were once friends, I'm now very sure that I've seen you from somewhere before, but I'm just not sure where. "

Misaki suppressed her joy at the possibility that Touma might still remember her. There was no way he could remember. She didn't want to be disappointed like just now.

"Oh. Really?"

They reached the automatic newspaper dispenser, but they were already out of newspaper.

"I think the convenience store up ahead should have a copy available." Touma said.

When their eyes met, as if Misaki's starry eyes lit up an imaginary light bulb in Touma's mind, he found the answer to his question.

"I know where I've seen you already."

"Where?!"

Misaki accidentally let out some of her excitement she was supposed to be suppressing.

You couldn't have completely forgotten all about me! I just know it!

"In a newspaper before I entered Academy City. Your starry eyes was in the headlines for being too abnormal. That's all I remember though. So you were born with such eyes. I thought it was an experiment that caused you to be this way."

"Now you know." Misaki said in a tone as neutral as possible to mask her exasperation.

Touma was mentioned in the same article, but he had forgotten all about it.

She felt like his memories was deliberately trying to isolate her from him, as if to say that Shokuhou Misaki cannot exist in Kamijou Touma's memory as someone related to him in any form and anything that is associated with Shokuhou Misaki is not allowed to exist as well.

I really hate you. I really hate hate hate you!

* * *

"Today is the Academy City Research Exhibition Assembly huh..." Touma muttered as he looked through articles in the newspaper purchased for Misaki's homework.

The both were still inside a convenience store with Misaki browsing fashion magazines beside Touma.

"Wait a minute... Shokuhou, aren't you a prize recipient? Why are you still here? You are supposed to give a talk about your research project about how the human brain perceive time that won you second place at 2.30pm today. Are you so self-conscious to the point where it would be embarrassing to appear on stage if you didn't achieve first place?"

The time shown on the receipt when they purchased the newspaper was 2.26pm.

Misaki sighed as she flipped through a model with wild, frizzy blonde hair. She wished she could be as brave as her to try new hairstyles instead of sticking with the same hair for the past few years.

"I just don't like appearing in public events. Anyway, I've sent a representative to speak on my behalf."

"Are you just not confident in speaking to a crowd? I believe we should try to come out of our comfort zones every now and then."

"I did, but I realized that it was just me disliking public speaking rather than not having the confidence."

It was during last year Daihaseihai when she decided to appear in the opening speech after rejecting the school for two consecutive years. Fortunately, her partner Sogiita Gunha ended up being too passionate and did most of the speaking so she only needed to stand there and look pretty.

Misaki put down her magazine and nudged Touma, "I'll be over there."

Touma nodded, and Misaki headed towards the fridge containing dairy products and ice cream beside the newspaper and magazine stand where he was at.

Academy City's newspaper were very different from the newspaper outside. There were still murder cases, but instead of knifes or blunt weapons, there was people killed by limbs being blown apart by a gust of wind, stabbed to death by a lance made of ice, etc. It was more like a compilation of fantasy stories than facts being objectively reported to Touma.

The most normal, yet noteworthy article was the recent bombing incident where the culprit still remained at large. As the bombings occurred randomly, it urged everyone to be careful. It was also still unknown what was the type of bomb being used and what was the culprit's motive as he or she had not stated any demands.

"Terrorists huh... I wonder what they wished to achieve by bombing random places though."

Perhaps there were people in the world who just wanted to watch the world burn without any reason.

Touma spotted a plush teddy bear lying beside the shelf behind him.

That's weird. Did some kid left it there by accident? It would be crazy if that was a bomb planted by the culprit.

The plush teddy bear started shrinking into nothing.

"You must be kidding me..."

He had an ominous feeling about this.

A large explosion shook the ground, knocking Touma backwards to the ground.

Without thinking, he wrapped his body around Misaki who had also been knocked off her wheelchair from the shockwave, shielding her from the household products raining down from a collapsing shelf.

For some reason, the cold air from the air conditioner grew colder and colder that it left a stinging feeling on his bruised skin.

"Are you two okay?" A girl in blue and white uniform and a green armband on her left sleeve said.

She had used her ability to freeze the shelf, and some of the falling household products in place. Touma recognized the armband from the brochure given by the doctor. She was a member of Judgement, a student-based disciplinary committee.

Touma nodded in response.

"Shokuhou, are you really okay? Why are you so red and breathless?" Touma said.

"I'm... j-just not used to guys touching me. I'm from an all girls school after all!"

"I see. Sorry if you were offended, but I just wanted to protect you. I didn't mean anything else."

Misaki sat there, her eyes on the ground as she muttered something inaudible.

Touma doubted that she was okay. She looked every bit like a princess traumatized by rape.

Was she once a victim of sexual assault?

Her overreaction to guys touching her seemed to suggest that this was the case.

"I think the both of you should get out of here." The Judgement girl who saved them from before said.

Some shelves in the convenience store were in a state similar to the shelf behind Touma where falling items and the shelf were frozen while others were completely blasted into pieces.

The only thing left in good shape was the fridge containing ice cream and other diary products, though the door was no more and ice cream tubs and milk bottles were scattered on the floor.

People lucky enough to be left with cuts and injuries from the explosion poured out of the store. Others who were not as lucky laid on the ground bloodied with burns. The counter was completely stained with blood, with the cashier nowhere to be seen.

"Shokuhou?" Touma said.

When she didn't respond despite calling for her repeatedly, he requested the Judgement girl to bring her back to reality.

"Why don't you do it?" The Judgement girl said.

"She's... rather sensitive to guys touching her."

"Okay...?"

She didn't understand what exactly was going on, but agreed.

The Judgement girl tapped Misaki on the shoulder. "Err.. are yo-"

"Don't touch me!" Misaki swept her hand away, disgusted.

Both the Judgement girl and Touma stared at her, not knowing what to do to calm her down.

"... Are you really okay?" Touma said.

Misaki realized she had mixed her thoughts into reality, and smiled apologetically.

"I'm fine. I umm... I was too engrossed in thinking about something, and got annoyed being distracted. Anyway, let's get of out here!"

Touma wanted to lift her up, but decided against it.

Misaki sighed, "Aren't you going to be a gentleman and lift me up? I'm injured you know?"

"But I thought you dislike guys touching you?"

"I said I was not used to guys touching me. It doesn't imply that I dislike it."

"But..."

Moments ago, she looked every bit like a princess traumatized by rape. It was a reaction implying that she disliked... no, detested it. But it vanished in a split second with an apologetic smile back into her usual, classy self.

Just for that split second, Touma felt like he had seen what was hidden behind her mask. A very, very sad past. Nobody should deserve that no matter how evil they once were.

"Alright." Touma said.

Unfortunately, only the top frame of the wheelchair remained, so Touma carried Misaki piggyback out of the wrecked store. (She refused to be seen limping no matter what)

He continued walking down the street while still piggybacking Misaki.

"Eh, you're rather light."

"Oh, so now you know how to please a girl's heart!"

"I think I'm just strong. There's no way you can be that light."

"Why not?!"

"The weighing machine doesn't lie. It must be saddening to see your weight increasing day by day on the machine. This is what happens to people who don't exercise."

"Shut up! My weight has always been in the acceptable range! Who says one have to exercise to remain slim! There are girls like me who can eat without a worry and remain slim!"

Touma flinched. His ears could not handle hearing loud sounds at such a close distance, but to encourage her to start living a healthy lifestyle involving exercising, he continued.

"So how much weight did you gain? Is it 3kg, or is it 5kg?"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You're the most annoying and retarded guy I've ever met! You're destined to be a virgin forever if that's how you treat a queen like me!"

Some passers-by who heard Misaki shook their head. If a boy who looked like he just a survived a war with bruises and cuts all over his body was willing to piggyback a girl not treating her like a queen, then what would be considered as a treatment fit for a queen?

"I have a feeling that so many girls will be attracted to me that I could fit my whole harem into a small city... not that it's a good thing." Touma said.

It wasn't a retort from Touma. It was a honest prediction he felt that would definitely come true.

"Huh?! Isn't that a good thing? Do you secretly desire a harem full of guys instead? I never knew you swing this way. I guess my people reading ability needs more improvement."

"That's not what I meant! It's just that... I guess I don't like girls fighting over me, and I don't particularly like attracting too much attention. I just want a peaceful life in this city."

Piggybacking somebody must be uncommon in Academy City because Touma noticed more and more passerby glancing at them. Or maybe it was because he was the one who should be carried piggyback instead of this spoilt queen.

Maybe she isn't saying anything as a form of punishment. She must be still offended from that incident. Hopefully she'll be okay after she had enough fun torturing me.

"Bring me to the bank around the corner over there. I need to transfer money to somebody." Misaki said.

"I'll be leaving after we reach the bank. My misfortune is bringing trouble to you."

It seemed that even in Academy City, he was destined to live a life of solitude for whoever who comes close to him will suffer. Surely this must be what his past self went through, and Misaki was probably the fortunate friend who hasn't died from his misfortune yet.

"You're wrong." Misaki said.

"There will be a bank robbery later. I'm sure of it. It's my misfortune bringing you trouble. Eventually, my misfortune will kill you. That's what happened to everyone who didn't believe me and insisted on being my friend."

"Like I said, you're wrong."

Misaki took a moment to think about what she wanted to say, and continued.

"You told me before that you were happy you entered Academy City because you no longer brought misfortune to people, but you still suffer from misfortune that affects only you. Believing that you still brought upon misfortune to others is actually a form of misfortune that affects only you. Do you understand what I mean?"

No matter how convincing Misaki sounded, he had a strong feeling that what she said wasn't true.

"I'll believe you if there's no bank robbery."

Misaki chuckled, "I thought you had good observation skills. Look carefully."

The bank that they were heading towards had their security shutters closed.

"That's odd. Do banks close that early?"

Misaki took out her star studded cellphone from her skirt pocket and flipped it open with one hand, "The time now is 3.43pm. Think about it."

From her tone, Touma could tell what was going on. It might have been because today was a special occasion, so the bank was closed early for the day, or for the entire day but it was definitely because...

"There's a bank robbery going on right now."

"Correct. Also, it conveniently happened right before we entered the bank, so technically you have not brought any misfortune to me. Therefore you should believe me. Now take a couple of steps back, I wouldn't want you to fall and hurt me."

The security shutters expanded outwards and exploded. Smoke poured out as the alarm shrilled through the air along with the screaming from passers-by. Even from a distance, Touma felt the tremors threatening his balance.

Three robbers emerged from the smoke each with a duffel bag. A few thousand yen bank notes spilled out from a bag which wasn't zipped properly as they ran across the road towards a car parked at the opposite side of the bank.

"Don't worry, I'll handle this." Misaki said.

She took out a remote from her skirt pocket. Her starry designed handbag filled with remotes was missing thanks to that explosion in the convenience store, but she had always kept a spare remote just in case.

Since I have to contact the girls to get me a new wheelchair and other stuffs also, I might as well go for Telepathy.

Upon pressing the button, a girl wearing the same attire as Misaki descended from the sky in front of the robbers. Like a meteorite striking the ground, they were blown away from the impact. Asphalt tentacles erupted from the ground, wrapping themselves around the robbers who were still in the air and pulled them down onto the ground hard. Not relenting their grip, they were chained in place.

Touma stood there in awe. She settled the incident within a minute by summoning a powerful esper under her control with her remote.

Two girls appeared out of nowhere beside Touma with one girl carrying a wheelchair. A girl lifted Misaki from Touma's back by grabbing the back of her collar with an arm, and placed her gently on the wheelchair. Even they had the same attire as Misaki.

"How audacious of you to not kneel before the queen, Kamijou Touma." Misaki said.

In her wheelchair with two girls standing at each side, their hands clasped together at waist level coupled with Misaki's classy aura, only a crown was needed to complete her queen image.

"If you don't grow out of your chuunibyou tendencies even during adulthood, I promise I'll do my best to help you adjust to society."

The girl who stopped the robbers from escaping could be seen talking to a few Judgement members while some passerbys praised her for saving the day. Misaki let the girl took all the credit while she remained inconspicuous from a distance.

She forced a smile to hide her embarrassment. Being associated with chuunibyou was detrimental to her image. "You're always making fun of me... but it's okay. I shall be magnanimous and let this slide. Anyway, I have a present for you."

"Eh? What for?"

"For protecting me just now."

The girl standing at Misaki's left passed him a palm-sized brown box.

"Open it." Misaki said.

It was a metallic sliver retractable ballpoint pen.

"You're going to need stationaries when you start school in a few days time. I hope you like it~"

Touma pressed the button at the top of the pen to check if it's working.

A sharp pain travelled to his palm. He winced, and threw it on the ground.

"What the hell was that?!"

Misaki threw herself back, and let out a stream of laughter, completely disregarding her image.

"Is my present so shocking that you threw it away in surprise? Th-Th-That's your punishment for always making fun of me. It must be en-lightning to know that. Get it? Get it? Get it?" She continued laughing.

It was a pen commonly sold in prank stores where an electric shock will be sent to anyone who attempts to use the pen.

While Touma found that immature, when he saw Misaki laughing like that, a sense of relief came over him. He had seen the true Misaki hidden behind her mask at the convenient store. A poor girl traumatized by her past.

It felt like it had been such a long time she was truly happy.

If she's happy then even if it's the most immature thing ever, it's fine.

"Hey." Misaki smiled.

To Touma, that was one of the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

It was a genuine smile from the true Misaki.

"I was just kidding about that being your present for protecting me."

Misaki stood up from her wheelchair and limped towards Touma.

"This is your present."

She kissed him on his right cheek.

"Thank you."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Just a story which I've written to satisfy my inner Touma x Misaki shipping ever since I read NT 11. Maybe just this chapter only because I don't like to make pairings predictable. The strange lack of Touma x Misaki fic influx after NT 11 was released was confusing though. I thought that more people would write about Misaki since we got to know her as a character better.

I'm going to pull a Itherael (the author of A New ROAD of Misfortune which is a pretty good story in my opinion) and say that this chapter contains spoilers for the whole fic, but probably not as cleverly hidden. I think it's more of something that will only make sense when you read future chapters so most of you probably won't see it.

My writing skills is still lacking, but I hope you like it :)


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